1. Field of the Invention
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a system and method for testing a vehicle suspension.
2. Background Art
Overall vehicle performance can be influenced by several factors. Typical factors may include characteristics of the engine, drivetrain, chassis, vehicle durability, and ride and handling. Ride and handling, in particular, may be greatly impacted by the vehicle's suspension. A suspension typically includes a system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. To this end, testing the suspension of a vehicle can provide essential information regarding the ride and handling of a vehicle. Testing a vehicle's suspension can also aid in predicting the suspension's performance. For example, analyzing the way a vehicle's suspension responds to certain test scenarios can help determine if any modifications to the suspension are necessary and, perhaps, identify suitable suspension adjustments. Further, suspension testing can provide a log or database of suspension information and characteristics that also helps in future suspension design.
In the automotive racing industry, a finely tuned racing suspension can improve the ability of the driver to control the vehicle. Because of the high speeds racecars travel, steering control is critically important, but it is also quite volatile. Vehicle conditions as well as race track conditions that can change throughout a race. For example, some conditions that can change throughout a race might include tire pressure, vehicle weight, track temperature, ambient temperature or other weather conditions. Even the slightest change in the condition of the vehicle or track can significantly alter the ride and handling, and thus, the steering control of the racecar. Accordingly, race teams may invest a lot of time and expense in testing the performance of a vehicle's suspension. The more these race teams know how their vehicle's react or handle on certain tracks under certain conditions, the better equipped they may be to tune a suspension before or during a race.
Current kinematic testing facilities can be prohibitively expensive to use on a large scale for vehicle suspension system testing and analysis, particularly on vehicles in the racing industry. Contributing to this expense is the lack of any contained solution capable of handling the numerous requirements of suspension testing on a large scale. Typically, in the racing industry, for instance, special arrangement may be made to prepare separate test system components for use in testing a vehicle's suspension. Presently, it is common for a race team to have a testing facility prepare individualized test set-up controls, separate data logging devices, and other equipment to aid in the conversion and manipulation of accumulated data. Thus, there lacks any synergistic solution to testing vehicle suspensions on a large scale that can simplify the testing process and reduce long-term costs.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need for a suspension testing computer system that addresses one or more of the disadvantages identified above. What is also needed is a method testing a vehicle suspension that addresses one or more of the disadvantages identified above.